Collapsible barrel.



J. S. HARMON.

GOLLAPSIBLE BARREL.

APPLICATION FILED rmmo, 191s.

1,077,1 38. Patented Oct. 28, 1913.

WITNESSES INVENTOR r i I ,4

JOHN S. HARMON, OF ASHTABULA, OHIO.

COLLAPSIBLE BARREL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Get. 28,1913.

Application filed February 10, 1913. Serial No. 747.342.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN S. HARMON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ashtabula, in the county of Ashtabula and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Barrels, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention pertains to collapsible barrels; and it consists in the peculiar and advantageous collapsible barrel hereinafter described and definitely claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, showing a collapsible barrel constructed in accordance with my invention; the said barrel being designed particularly to carry flour or other dry stuff. Fig. 2 is a broken plan of one end of the barrel showing the manner in which the heads are con nected thereto. Fig. 3 is a detail section taken at a right angle to Fig. 2.

Similar numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings.

The barrel shown is designed more particularly for containing dry, substance, and is made up of wooden staves 1, grooved at their inner sides, as indicated by 2, and flexible connections 3, preferably pliable wires of malleable metal, extending through the staves and connecting the same together in series. Manifestly any number of staves may be strung on the wires according to the diameter of the barrel to be produced, and as the staves are uniform it will be readily appreciated that they can be inexpensively produced and easily strung on the wires.

In addition to the body described, the barrel comprises wooden heads 4:, and permanent connections 5 intermediate the heads and a stave or staves of the body. The said connections 5 are identical in construction and therefore a detailed description of the one shown in Figs. 2 and 3 will sutfice to impart a definite understanding of both. As will be observed by reference to said figures, the connection comprises a body plate 6, fixed to the head 4 and having alined apertured lugs 7 a loop 8 straddling the end of one stave and having its ends connected to the stave and also having a play space between its bight and the end of the stave, a bolt 9 extending loosely through the apertured lugs 7 and having an eye 10 loosely receiving the bight of the staple and movable laterally on said bight and also adapted to swing in different directions thereon, and a nut 11 or other suitable securing means mounted on the bolt 9 at the opposite side of the lugs 7, with reference to the loop or staple 8. By virtue of the said connection it will be observed that the head is strongly and permanently connected to the body in a simple, inexpensive and compact manner; also, that the connection is such that the head 4: may be moved edgewise on the bolt 9 to properly position the head in the coincident grooves of the circular series of staves comprised in the flexible and collapsible body. It will further be noted that by reason of the connection, the head and bolt 9 may be swung on the loop 8 in the direction of the curvature thereof when the barrel is set up, and that when the barrel is set up, the body plate'6 and the head 4 may be rocked on the bolt 9 to permit of the edge of the head being readily positioned in the grooves 2 of the staves comprised in the body. hen the barrel is collapsed the connection between the bolt 9 and loop 8 permits of the head 4 resting in substantially the same plane as the flattened body.

By virtue of the barrel body being composed of the staves and flexible connections, as described, the body can be collapsed into small compass subsequently to the displacement of the heads 4, and then the heads can be swung into positions substantially in the same plane as the collapsed body.

It will be gathered from the foregoing that the connections described between the heads and body of the barrel permit of the heads being strongly secured in the body when the same is of collapsible character and also enable the heads to brace and strengthen the collapsible body.

When desired, the barrel body may be provided with an intermediate interior groove, and equipped with a partition for dividing it into compartments, and the said partition may be hinged and permanently connected to one of the staves.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

In a collapsible barrel, the combination with a body made up of a plurality of staves having grooves in their inner sides adjacent their ends, and flexible means connecting the staves in series; of a head adapted when the body is set up to rest within the staves and occupy the grooves thereof, and a permanent connection between the head and one of the staves of the body, said connection comprising a loop straddling and connected to and extending from the end of the stave, a body fixed on the head and having an apertured lug, a bolt loosely occupying said lug, whereby the head is movable endwise on and is adapted to be swung about the bolt, said bolt having an eye at its outer end loosely receiving and adapted to swing' on 10 the loop, and securing means on the bolt at Intestimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in. presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN S. HARMON.

WVitnesses:

C. L. SI-IAYLOR, C. J. STARKEYi Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, 'by' addressing; the Commissioner of Eacentst Washington, I); 0; 

